Method and system for testing websites

Abstract

A method and system is provided for testing and analyzing websites via a test-enabled web browser. When requested, a representative embodiment can provide for deep recording of user interactions as they relate to a specific web page currently on display in the browser view area, for extracting key information from the current web page sufficient to validate that a future playback does or does not produce the same effects on the chosen website page, for playing back a prior recording to confirm that a website page continues to pass the user-defined tests, and/or for providing detailed analyzes based on the specific contents of the current website page. The general result of systematic use of the test-enabled browser on websites is improved content quality, demonstrated website server behavior for deep tests, quicker delivery by the website server, and better serviceability for e-business.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least computer program code stored therein for providing a test-enabled browser for testing a website residing on a network, said computer readable medium comprising:
 computer program code for interfacing with web browsing components, the web browsing components including Document Object Model (DOM) access methods included in Dynamic Linked Libraries associated with a browser code library; 
 computer program code for accessing a website to be tested; 
 computer program code for rendering and examining at least one web page of the website so as to at least (i) extract details of elements of the web page, and (ii) store the details of the web page in a recorded script; 
 computer program code for selecting a validation test to be performed; and 
 computer program code for performing the validation test using at least one of the DOM access methods of the web browsing components, wherein during the validation test, the at least one web page is newly rendered and details of elements for the at least one web page as newly rendered are accessed via the at least one of the DOM access methods and compared to the stored details in the recorded script. 
 
     
     
       2. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the web browsing components are accessible by the test-enabled browser. 
     
     
       3. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the details extracted for at least one of the elements of the web page includes properties and associated values. 
     
     
       4. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the details extracted for at least one of the elements of the web page includes an element count for the web page. 
     
     
       5. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for logging details of test execution to a log file for post-test analysis. 
 
     
     
       6. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for automatically adjusting input values through parametric substitution of values into the test script. 
 
     
     
       7. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for validity of links within the at least one web page that is newly rendered. 
 
     
     
       8. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for checking user-selectable objects on at least one web page. 
 
     
     
       9. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for automatically synchronizing page delivery, including downloading and rendering. 
 
     
     
       10. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a remote server couples to the network and hosts the web page, and
 wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for load testing to test performance of the remote server regarding the webpage in accordance with a load resulting from multiple instances of the test-enabled web browser. 
 
 
     
     
       11. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one webpage is a dynamic web page, and wherein said computer program code for performing the validation test comprises:
 computer program code for comparing the dynamic web page using a rendering of the web page by the test-enabled browser against at least one prior rendering of the dynamic webpage. 
 
     
     
       12. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one web page has a DOM data structure, and
 wherein said computer program code for performing the validation test comprises:
 computer program code for recording a script pertaining to an interaction sequence with the web page by sensing events with respect to the DOM data structure that reflects a prior rendering of the at least one web page; and 
 computer program code for subsequently playing back the script by sending events to the DOM data structure that reflects the current rendering of the at least one web page to confirm content of the web page relative to the recorded script associated with the prior rendering of the at least one web page. 
 
 
     
     
       13. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the web page includes a plurality of component parts, and
 wherein said computer program code for performing the validation test comprises computer program code for determining download timings for at least a plurality of the component parts of the web page. 
 
     
     
       14. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the details of the elements of the web page include at least information concerning at least one of organization, structure, performance and content of the elements or the web page. 
     
     
       15. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the details of the elements of the web page include at least information concerning at least performance and content of the elements. 
     
     
       16. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the web page includes a plurality of component parts, and
 wherein said computer program code for performing the validation test comprises:
 computer program code for determining download timings for at least a plurality of the component parts of the web page; and 
 computer program code for comparing the download timings to at least one threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       17. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one threshold is user-provided. 
     
     
       18. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the computer program code for performing the validation test includes at least computer program code for performing adaptive playback of the recorded script with respect to the at least one web page as newly rendered. 
     
     
       19. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the computer program code for performing adaptive playback of the recorded script with respect to the at least one web page as newly rendered comprises computer program code for searching the at least one web page as newly rendered for at least one element of the at least one web page. 
     
     
       20. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the computer program code for performing adaptive playback of the recorded script with respect to the at least one web page as newly rendered using at least one search method that is able to locate at least one element that is in a different location in the at least one web page as newly rendered as compared to a previously rendered web page associated with the recorded script. 
     
     
       21. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 18 ,
 wherein the at least one web page include a plurality of links provided at particular positions within the web page, and 
 wherein the computer program code for performing adaptive playback of the recorded script with respect to the at least one web page as newly rendered using at least one search method that is able to locate at least one of the links that is in a different location in the at least one web page as newly rendered as compared to a previously rendered web page associated with the recorded script. 
 
     
     
       22. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for indicating where a scan of the website is to begin by specifying a starting URL, and where the scan is to end by specifying a stopping point. 
 
     
     
       23. A computer readable medium as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for examining the webpage to determine if the webpage meets user-specified criteria. 
 
     
     
       24. A computer system for testing a website, comprising:
 a memory for storing computer program code; and 
 a processing unit configured to execute the stored computer program code, 
 wherein the stored computer program code supports testing of a website by implementing a test-enabled browser, and wherein the stored computer program code includes at least:
 computer program code for interfacing with a browser code library including at least Dynamic Linked Libraries that provide at least Document Object Model (DOM) access methods; 
 computer program code for accessing the website to be tested using the test-enabled browser; 
 computer program code for rendering and examining at least one web page of the website so as to at least (i) extract details of elements of the web page, and (ii) store the details of the web page in a recorded script; and 
 computer program code for performing a validation test using at least one of the DOM access methods of the browser code library, wherein during the validation test, the at least one web page is newly rendered and details of elements for the at least one web page as newly rendered are accessed via the at least one of the DOM access methods and compared to the stored details in the recorded script. 
 
 
     
     
       25. A computer system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the computer program code for performing the validation test includes at least computer program code for performing adaptive playback of the recorded script with respect to the at least one web page as newly rendered. 
     
     
       26. A computer system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the computer program code for performing adaptive playback of the recorded script with respect to the at least one web page as newly rendered comprises computer program code for searching the at least one web page as newly rendered for at least one element of the at least one web page. 
     
     
       27. A computer system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the details of the elements of the web page include at least information concerning at least one of organization, structure, performance and content of the elements or the web page. 
     
     
       28. A computer system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the details of the elements of the web page include at least information concerning at least performance and content of the elements.